The end of October and start of November mean Halloween and Bonfire Night, so why not try these easy and delicious recipes that are ideal for cold nights?
Every year it's estimated that most households will throw away waste from their pumpkin carvings, as well as full pumpkins, when a lot of this could be used in cooking and baking.
Recently, Keep Britain Tidy launched a campaign to clear up our Halloween waste, with Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, saying: “There’s no doubt Halloween can be a real nightmare for the environment.
"But there are many tweaks you can make to ensure your celebration is environmentally friendly.
“During #HallowClean week we can all play a part in creating a green Halloween whether it’s by hosting a creepy clean-up, aiming to create as little waste as possible, reusing and re-purposing wherever we can, and ensuring any party waste we create is recyclable."
As well as reducing waste, eating pumpkin has a range of health benefits including containing vitamin C and E, magnesium and iron.
Here we take a look at some recipes which make use of all parts of the pumpkin as well as warming, seasonal treats to enjoy for bonfire night.
A classic way to use up any leftover pumpkin, this soup is easy to make and will warm everyone up on cold days.
Ingredients
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat
Sauté the onions in the pan for 5-10 minutes (until soft)
Add the garlic and the ginger and cook for a further minute taking care to stir
Add cauliflower, broth, and pumpkin, turn heat to high, bring to a boil and cover
Keep covered and reduce the heat to low
Leave to simmer until the cauliflower is tender (20-30 minutes)
Add maple syrup, salt and coconut milk and stir
Remove the soup and add to a blender; puree until smooth.
Kickstart your day with a hearty autumn-inspired breakfast by incorporating pumpkin puree into your pancake or waffle batter. This recipe is from Hello Fresh.
Ingredients
Method
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, buttermilk, and melted butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Heat a pan over medium heat and lightly grease it with butter or cooking spray.
Pour the pancake or waffle batter onto the pan or into a waffle iron, using the recommended amount for each. Cook until bubbles form on the surface, then flip and cook until golden brown.
Serve your pumpkin pancakes or waffles with a drizzle of syrup and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.
Transform your morning oatmeal into a seasonal delight by stirring in some pumpkin puree and pumpkin seeds with this recipes from Hello Fresh.
Ingredients
Method
In a saucepan, combine the oats and milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the pumpkin, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oatmeal thickens and the pumpkin is fully incorporated.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the maple syrup to taste.
Serve the pumpkin oatmeal hot, garnished with your choice of toppings, such as chopped nuts, raisins, or an extra drizzle of maple syrup.
John Quigley of Red Onion in Glasgow gave this delicious recipe to Zero Waste Scotland to help people use up pumpkin seeds.
Ingredients
Method
Toast the pumpkin seeds on a baking tray for 3-4 minutes at 200˚C/gas mark 6, set aside to cool.
Place the butter and half of the dark chocolate in a bowl and melt together using a bain-marie or microwave.
Mix the egg and vanilla together, then add the sugar.
Add to the melted butter and chocolate.
Sift in the flour and fold through gently until just combined.
Add the remaining chocolate pieces and mix well.
Pour into a lined, 20cm square baking tray and top with the toasted pumpkin seeds.
Reduce the oven down to 175˚C/gas mark 3 and bake the brownies for 25 minutes. If the middle is still wobbly, place back in the oven until just set.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before turning out and cutting into squares.
One of the easiest ways to reduce pumpkin waste is to roast the seeds for a healthy snack.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Toss the seeds with the oil, cinnamon and seasoning and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast the seeds for eight to ten minutes, stirring them every few minutes to ensure that they brown evenly.
A quick way to start your day, why not add pumpkin to a smoothie for a seasonal treat?
Ingredients
Method
Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree until nice and smooth.
Pumpkin hummus is a delightful twist on the classic dip that's perfect for the autumn season say the team at Hello Fresh.
Incorporating pureed pumpkin into your favourite hummus recipe not only adds a luscious creaminess but also infuses it with a subtle earthy flavour.
Ingredients
Method
In a food processor, combine the pumpkin, chickpeas, tahini, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and ground cumin.
Process the mixture until smooth and creamy. If it's too thick, you can add a bit of water to reach your desired consistency.
Season the pumpkin hummus with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
Transfer the pumpkin hummus to a serving bowl. If desired, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and sprinkle with paprika and chopped fresh herbs.
Serve the pumpkin hummus with pita bread, tortilla crisps, or vegetable sticks. Enjoy your seasonal twist on this classic dip.
If you're in the mood for a savoury treat with a hint of sweetness, look no further than pumpkin pizza.
Begin by spreading a thin layer of pumpkin puree over your pizza crust, serving as a rich and slightly sweet base.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat your oven according to the pizza crust instructions.
Roll out your pizza dough on a pizza stone or baking tray.
Spread an even layer of pumpkin puree over the pizza crust, leaving a small border around the edges.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the pumpkin puree.
Add your chosen toppings.
Bake the pizza in the preheated oven according to the pizza crust instructions or until the cheese is melted, and the crust is golden and crisp.
Remove the pizza from the oven, slice, and serve. Enjoy your delectable pumpkin pizza with its rich and slightly sweet base.
Air fryers have become all the rage, but did you know you can create quick and easy s'mores in them?
This American treat of biscuit and marshmallow has become popular in the UK, so Walkers Shortbread has shared a recipe to make these in an air fryer.
Ingredients
Method
Put four Walkers Shortbread Highlanders upside down in the air fryer and put a marshmallow on top of each biscuit. Set to heat at 160°C for 3 minutes.
Once done, open the air fryer and add a square of your favourite chocolate on top of each marshmallow, then heat again at 160°C for 1 minute.
Remove carefully from the air fryer and smoosh on the four remaining Highlanders as tops.
Cold nights call for this traditional Scottish drink, made even more seasonal with the addition of a peated whisky.
Ingredients
Method
Add whisky, honey water, lemon juice to a toddy glass.
Add a pinch of nutmeg and stir in.
Top with hot water.
Garnish with a clove studded lemon slice and a stick of cinnamon.
